Smith Shines on Birthday, Leads PawSox to Win
August 7, 2018 - International League (IL1)
Pawtucket Red Sox News Release
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Pitching on his 31st birthday and against the organization that drafted him eight years ago, Pawtucket Red Sox starter Josh A. Smith delivered his best start of the season and propelled the PawSox to a 3-2 win over the Louisville Bats on Tuesday night at Louisville Slugger Field.
Smith's seven sharp innings - backed by Pawtucket's three runs in the first three innings - lifted the PawSox (52-60) to a win in the opener of the three-game series with the Bats (50-61), the Triple-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds.
Smith (W, 3-4) struck out five and didn't issue a walk in a season-best seven innings of two-run ball. The right-hander from Florida, who was a 21st-round pick of the Reds in 2010 out of Lipscomb, made 41 combined appearances for the Reds between 2015 and 2016. After spending last season with Oakland, Smith began the 2018 campaign in Seattle's system before joining the PawSox in early June. Over his last 10 outings, Smith has now posted a 2.09 ERA dating back to late June. Smith left the tying run aboard in the bottom of the seventh inning by firing a 92 MPH fastball on his final pitch of the night for his fifth strikeout.
Following Smith, right-hander Fernando Rodriguez Jr. fanned a pair in a 1-2-3 eighth inning, and southpaw Bobby Poyner (S, 4) worked around a leadoff single in the ninth to button up the victory and lower his Triple-A ERA to 2.16.
Pawtucket center fielder Rusney Castillo (2-for-4, R, HBP) upped his hit total (129) and batting average (.324) - both of which lead the International League - and catcher Oscar Hernández (2-for-4, RBI) continued a hot stretch in which he's 8-for-22 (.364) over his last six games.
Louisville starter Jose López (L, 5-10) allowed three runs (two earned runs) in five innings on six hits and a walk with four strikeouts.
Pawtucket started the scoring in the top of the second inning when Hernández supplied an RBI single into left field to score third baseman Jantzen Witte, who had reached second on an error.
In the third, Pawtucket received consecutive opposite-field RBI singles from first baseman Sam Travis and designated hitter Josh Ockimey to extend the lead to 3-0.
Louisville countered in the home half of the third on an RBI groundout, trimming the gap to 3-1.
The Bats inched within a run in the bottom of the sixth inning when leadoff man Brian O'Grady pulled a solo shot to right field to make it 3-2 PawSox.
The PawSox now continue their three-game series against Louisville on Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. Pawtucket right-hander Chandler Shepherd (6-7, 3.91) is scheduled to oppose Louisville lefty Cody Reed (4-8, 4.06). Radio coverage on WHJJ (920 AM and 104.7 FM) and throughout the PawSox Radio Network begins with the pre-game show at 6:35 p.m.
After the six-game road trip, the PawSox will return home August 13-19 (Monday-Sunday) to host Norfolk (Baltimore Orioles) and Durham (Tampa Bay Rays). Good tickets are available. Fans can visit the McCoy Stadium box office, which is open Monday-Friday from 10 a.m. through 5 p.m., and during all home games. Fans can also call (401) 724-7300 or log on to PawSox.com for tickets.
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